Johnson Considered Raiding Dutch Factory for Vaccines

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed in his memoir that he considered a plan to raid a Dutch factory to secure five million COVID-19 vaccines that the EU had blocked from being exported to the UK. The proposed raid, discussed with senior military officials in March 2021, involved using small boats to cross the English Channel and navigate Dutch canals. Lieutenant General Doug Chalmers informed Johnson that while the plan was feasible, it would be impossible to carry out undetected, potentially leading to diplomatic fallout with a NATO ally. Johnson admitted in his memoir that he ultimately agreed the idea was 'nuts' but felt desperate due to what he perceived as EU malice and bureaucratic delays. Both the UK and the EU had contracts with AstraZeneca for vaccine doses, leading to significant tensions during the pandemic.